In the past, companies who have applied for MCS certification, have struggled to find a willing customer to be the recipient of their first installation. These companies have either decided not to pursue certification or have needed to fund their first installation themselves, adding to the overall cost of achieving MCS. This has acted as a barrier to participation in the scheme, especially for smaller and one person companies, with limited financial reserves.
Under the new route to certification, an installer wishing to offer renewable energy technology solutions to their customers, will need to successfully complete an MCS approved, regulated qualification (RQF) in the installation of their chosen technology. At least one staff member within the applicant company will need to hold a formal qualification and coupled with evidence of their understanding of the core MCS scheme rules will mean that the company can be certified.
A newly qualified installer will be able to complete their first installation and raise an MCS certificate. This installation will then need to be independently assessed by a Certification Body to prove compliance with MCS standards before the installer is able to proceed with further installations that can attract MCS certification.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said: “We know that new to the scheme installers often face the prospect of taking on the full cost of their first install themselves. This is because customers are reluctant to engage an installer that is not already MCS certified. This new route into the scheme is expected to remove that barrier.”
Rippin goes on to say: “Securing a qualification, for example in the installation of heat pumps, is a key to this new route. While a newly qualified installer can offer a first MCS installation to their customers, this installation will then need to be independently assessed, before an installer’s further installations can also attract an MCS certificate.”
Have you been affected by ‘barriers’ like this? What do you think of this new route to the scheme? We’d love to hear from you.